792 



Handbook of Nature-Study 



scales is intricate and yet regular — to appreciate it one needs to try to 

 sketch it. Beneath each scale, when it opens wide, we find nestled at its 

 base two little seeds in twin boxes ; each provided with a little wing so that 

 it can sail off with the wind to find a place to grow. The shape of the scales 

 of the cone is another distinguishing character of the pine, and sketching 

 the outside of scales from several different species of pine cones will develop 

 the pupils' powers of observation ; the tip of the scale may be thickened or 

 armed with a spine, and one wonders if these spines are for the purpose of 

 discouraging the squirrels from stealing the green seeds. 



The pine cone requires two years for maturing ; the pistillate flower from 

 which it is developed is a tiny cone with each scale spread wide and standing 

 upright to catch the pollen for the tiny ovule nestled within it. The pis- 

 tillate flower of the white pine grows near the tip of the new twig, and is 

 pinkish in color. In the Austrian pine it is the merest pink dot at first, but 

 after a little shows itself to be a true cone with pink-purple scales, which 

 stand up very erect and makes a pretty object when viewed through a lens; 

 each scale is pink at its three-pointed tip, with pink wings just below, the 

 inner portions being pale green. The cone is set just beside the growing 

 tip of the twig, is pointed upward, and its sheath-scales are turned back 

 like chaff around its base. 



In June when the new shoots of the pine twigs stand up like pale green 

 candles on a Christmas tree, at their bases may be found the staminate 

 catkins set in radiating whorls, making galaxies of golden stars against the 



dark green back- 

 ground of foliage. In 

 the Austrian pine, 

 one of these pollen 

 catkins may be an 

 inch or two long and 

 a half -inch in width ; 

 each little scale of 

 this cone is an anther 

 sac, filled to bursting 

 with yellow pollen. 

 From these starry 

 pollen cones there 

 descends a yellow 

 shower every time a 

 breeze passes ; 3r 

 the pine trees depend 

 upon the wind to sift 

 their pollen dust into 

 the lifted cups of the 

 cone scales, which 

 will close upon the 

 treasure soon. The 

 pollen grains of pine 

 are very beautiful 

 when seen through a 

 microscope; and it 

 seems almost incredible that the masses of yellow dust sifted in showers 

 from the pines when in blossom, should be composed of these beautiful 



While pine, staminate blossoms and empty cones. 



Phoio by Morgan. 



